Don't Leave

Chapter Seven

"What do you mean you haven't had a conversation?!" Ryuto was obviously shocked by this. He must take me for a normal girl, he's so wrong.

"No one at this school is worth my time, nor my energy." I told him.

"Am I worth your time and energy?"

Here we go again.

"Haven't decided yet. Check back in tomorrow." I said. I thought about my reply, and I realized that must've made me sound like a douche, so I rethought. "Right now, I think I'm leaning towards worthy."

That made him smile. "You're worth mine. Well, for now, at least.

Then, that made me smile.

"So that frown does have an upside down button!" He laughed as the bus pulled in to the elementary school.

I wiped my smile away and stood up, watching the kids come on the bus and seeing if anyone new came on. Once everyone was on, I went to sit back down but the bus took off before I got a chance. I fell into the floor besides Ryuto, landing on my hurt wrist.

"Shit!" I exclaimed through gritted teeth, wincing as I held my wrist close to my chest. "Fuck.....!"

"What happened? A fall like that couldn't have made your wrist hurt like that!" Ryuto asked, obviously concerned with my wellbeing.

His concern won't last long. Before long he'll leave.

Just like how everyone else did.

"I hurt it this morning...." I said in between winces. "I'll be fine."

"You sure? I have a spare brace at home if you want it." He offered. Why does Ryuto have a brace? If he has a spare, that means he has at least two. Why does he need two braces?

"What are you doing with more than one brace?" I questioned as the pain subsided.

"I didn't say I had more than one." He defended, and obviously wasn't prepared to be questioned.

"You said you had a spare. Spare means more than one."

"I, um." He thought about his reply. "My mother has one, and I have one. Yeah. It's so we don't have to buy another every time something happens."

"That sounds like something happens a lot." I said as we turned onto the street I live on.

"Why do you think that?" He said defensively. "Nothing happens! They're just in case."

"Sure." I said and started to make sure I had all of my stuff.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, we're at my house." Ryuto said as he stood up, slinging his bag onto his shoulder as he made his way to the front of the bus, walking through the doors and onto the sidewalk. He seemed to be sad, or even angry, about something. Did I say anything to offed him? I'm too questioning, I know it; too curious, and I need to stop.

No one except Ryuto has approached me since I came to California, and Ryuto might just be my only chance at a real friendship. Even though I'm too stubborn to admit it verbally, I want Ryuto to stay. I don't want to offend him.

I thought about this, then I see something I will never forget.

Ryuto walks to and stops at his front door, takes a big, deep breath like he's going to defeat a dragon, and walks in.

Just as the bus starts to move again, I perk up as I see a man and a woman in Ryuto's window, whom I take to be his parents. The father slaps the mother, who falls to the ground and out of sight. Ryuto runs up, throwing his bag on the floor as he punches his father.

Ryuto is punched as well, and I become very distressed about his wellbeing.